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The Idiot

by Elif Batuman
Compare to estimated retail price: RM63.00 MYR  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

The Idiot
The Idiot

Coming-of-age tale with cultural and linguistic exploration.

"The Idiot" is a gem for anyone who relishes in the complexities of growing up and the search for identity, especially through a multicultural lens. Batuman masterfully captures the humor and angst of university life, the curiosity of a language learner, and the intricacies of young love. You'll find Selin's journey both intellectually stimulating and deeply human, a reflection of your own formative years but with a charmingly quirky perspective. If you enjoy wit with your existential introspection, Selin's adventures at Harvard will resonate with you.

  • Pulitzer Prize Nominee for Fiction (2018)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction (2017)
  • Women's Prize for Fiction Nominee (2018)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

The Idiot

by Elif Batuman
Compare to estimated retail price: RM63.00 MYR  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9780099583172
Authors: Elif Batuman
Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE UK
Date of Publication: 2018-04-26
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary
Related Topics: Literature, Asian Literature
Goodreads rating: 3.65
(rated by 103387 readers)

Description

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018 Selin, a tall, highly strung Turkish-American from New Jersey turns up at Harvard and finds herself dangerously overwhelmed by the challenges and possibilities of adulthood. She studies linguistics and literature, and spends a lot of time thinking about what language – and languages – can and cannot do. Along the way she befriends Svetlana, a cosmopolitan Serb, and obsesses over Ivan, a mathematician from Hungary. Selin ponders profound questions about how culture and language shape who we are, how difficult it is to be a failed writer, and how baffling love is. At once clever and clueless, Batuman’s heroine shows us with perfect hilarity and soulful inquisitiveness just how messy it can be to forge a self.
 

Coming-of-age tale with cultural and linguistic exploration.

"The Idiot" is a gem for anyone who relishes in the complexities of growing up and the search for identity, especially through a multicultural lens. Batuman masterfully captures the humor and angst of university life, the curiosity of a language learner, and the intricacies of young love. You'll find Selin's journey both intellectually stimulating and deeply human, a reflection of your own formative years but with a charmingly quirky perspective. If you enjoy wit with your existential introspection, Selin's adventures at Harvard will resonate with you.

  • Pulitzer Prize Nominee for Fiction (2018)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction (2017)
  • Women's Prize for Fiction Nominee (2018)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.